Postage-stamp-applying device.



F. CHILD. POSTAGE STAMP APPLYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18. I917.

Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY R u f o m m w z. w T g N 3 E l 2 w w L v @w l fiyillld H i a e S 4M DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY IBI trimaran swan jp A rnnnnnrcn CHILD, orretirement, aunsno, canana.

FOSTAGlE-STAMP-APPLYING DEVICE.

tasters;

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, Fnnnnnrok CHILD, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion ofCanada, have invented new 7 and useful Improvements in Postage-Stamp-Applyin'g Devices, of which thefollowing is a specliication.

This invention relates to a device which may be advantageously employedto attach postage stamps to letters and the like,

although the construction of the device is such that it may besuccessfully employed for purposes of a similar nature when founddesirable.

The primaryobject of the invention is to.

provide a device for this purpose which will insure the stamps beingquickly and prop erly applied to the envelope and comprisescomparatively few parts which are so ar-' ranged with relation to eachother and con nected as to obviate the likelihood of the device gettingout of order while in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterin which mechanism ofisimple yet novel construction is provided for theoperation ofa stamp carrying drum to permit the required number ofstamps to be moved to a position for engagement with a moistening deviceprior .to their application to the letter.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide the device with apresser plate which may be employed to firmly press the mo stened stampsagainst the envelop and which not only serves this purpose but 1s'soconnected with the operating mechanism for the stamp carrying drum'thatit serves to control the exit of the stamps from the casing and also isemployed to sever theapplied stamps from the strip of whlch they are apart.

A still further object of the invention is to Speeification of LettersPatent.

essarily made to the precise details of construction thereln shown, aschanges, alter Patented Apr. 23, 1mm Application filed July 18, 1917.Serial No. 181,383.

ations, and modifications, within the scope] of the claims sired.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a may beresorted to when depostage stamp applying device constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device, the drumoperating mechanism being shown in position to permit a stamp to extendbeyond the mouth of the casing whereby the stamp may be brought intoengagement with a moistening device not shown in the drawing.

Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig.2 showing the drum operatingmechanism returned to normal position and the presser plate in positionfor firmly engaging the moistened stamp with anenvelop and to sever theapplied stamp from the strip of stamps.

Fig. 4 1s aperspectlve view of he stamp carrying drum and the lidassociated there.

with.

F 1g. 5 1s a perspectlve view of the rack bar included in the drumoperating mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the device.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the letter A designates apostage stamp applying device constructed in accordance with y theinvention and includes a hollow casing 10 formed from any materialsuitable for the purpose and having a substantially circular'bodyportion 11 from which extends at diametrically opposite pointsextensions 12 and 13, the extension 12 being shaped as shown, to providethe casing with a handle while the extension 13 is tapered as shown, toprovide the casing at its opposite end with a mouth 14.

One wall of the body11 has formed there-j in a circular opening 15normally closed by a lid 16 provided with a circumferentially extendingflange 17 which through its frictional engagement with the wall of theopening 15 retains the lid 16 in place, said flange having strucktherefrom a resilient arm 18 for a purpose which will hereinafterappear.

A stamp carrying drum 19 for disposition within the body 11 of thecasing includes a hollow hub one end of which is swivelly side wall ofthe body 11 th'rough an opening therein and has fixed thereto on itsextending portion a gear wheel to the hub 25 of which is fixed a spring26 having arms 2'? which engage the disk 2 to permit the wheel'25 anddrum to be rotated in unison in one direction, the rotation of the drumin the reverse direction being prevented by the arm 18. V

Movable longitudinally of the extension 12 and supported therein by acoiled expansion spring 28 is a plunger 29, the upper end of whichextends beyond the extension 12 and 1s provlded with an operating knob30. A rack bar 31 is arranged exteriorly' of the casing 10 and engagesthe gear wheel 25, said rack bar being provided at its ends with arms 32and 33passing interiorly of the casing through suitable openings 34therein with the arm 32 connected with the lower end of the plunger 29,while the arm 33 has formed thereona stud 3a.

A presser plate 35 for pressing the stamps firmly against the surface'towhich they are to be attached is mounted to slide on guides 7,36 uponthe side walls of the extension 13 adjacent the mouth H of the casing,so that the presser plate not only serves this purpose but is alsoemployed as a closure for the open mouth of the casing 10, said platehaving formed thereon afl'ange 37 in which is formed a diagonallyextending slot 38 receivingtherein the stud 34 on the arm 33 of therackbar, so that when the plunger is depressed, the rack bar will slide thepresser plate on the guides 36 to a position in which the stamps one endof the strip of stamps upon the drum may pass through the mouth of thecasing as the drum is rotated by the rack bar 31 and upon the return ofthe rack barto its normal position, a knife edge 39 at, oneend of thepresser platelwill contact 'with the strip of stamps and sever thestamps therefrom which have passed through the mouth of the casing,

A- leaf spring l0 within the extension 13 has one end thereof bearingupon the presser plate to hold the same yieldably against the guides36,said spring also serving to direct the portion of the strip of stampsunwound fromthe drum by the operation of the plunger and rack bar towardthe opening formed between one end of the presser plate and an end wallof the extension when the plunger and rack bar are operated for thepurpose described. 7

When the drum has a strip of stamps wound thereon and it is desired toemploy the device for applying the stamps to let ters, and the like, thehandle is grasped in the hand and the thumb pressed upon the knob of theplunger so that pressure thereon will move the rack bar in adownwarddirection, such movement of the rack bar rotating the drum and slidingthe pressor plate on the guides 36 to a position in which one or morestamps at the end of the strip of stamps may pass through the openingformed be tween an end of the presser plate and an end wall of theextension 13. The gummed side of the stamps is now brought into contactwith a suitable moistening device, such as a sponge, or the like, andwith a quick movement of the hand, the moistened stamps are thrownagainst the bottom of the presser plate which permits the prcsser plateto be employed to firmly engage the stamps with the surface to whichthey are to be attached. While the presser plate is still in contactwith the attached stamps pressure by the thumb is released from the knobon the plunger to permit the spring 28 to carry the rack bar in anupward direction. As the rack bar moves upwardly the stud 3l is movedalong the slot 38 and through engagement with the walls of the slotcauses the casing 10 to slide on the presser plate until an end wall ofthe casing engages the knife 10o edge on the presser plate, therebysevering the attached stamps from the strip of stamps within the casing.

It will, of course, be seen with reference to the drawings that as therack bar moves upwardly the arm 18 through its engagement with the stampcarrying drum l9 prevents the rotation of the drum while through thearrangement of the spring 26, the gear wheel 2% is free to turn.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is at once apparent that a device for applying postage stamps has been provided whlch is simple in construction,inexpensive of manufacture, though hi hly ellicicnt in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

A postage stamp applying device comprising a casing, a combined pressingand severing plate slidably mounted on said casing and closing an endthereof, a stamp carrying drum mounted to turn in said casing above saidplate, a resilient stamp guiding member underlying said drum and havingan end engaging said plate, and means operable when moved in onedirection to simultaneously slide said plate and turn said drum. 1 3 0 Apostage stamp applying device comprising a casing, a rotatable stampcarrying drum within said caslng, means for yieldably holding said drumagainst rotation in one direction, means operable to rotate said drum inthe other directlon including a bar movable longitudinally of saidcaslng, and a combined pressing and severing plateslidable under theinfluence of said bar and nor mally closlng an end of said 0215111 3. Apostage stamp applying device com- I prising a casing having an openingtherein, a lid closing said opening, a stamp carrying drum mounted toturn on said lid, means on the lid for yieldably holding said drumagainst turning movement in one direction, a combined pressing andsevering plate mounted to slide beneath said drum, a rack bar connectedwith said plate and operable to slide the same when the bar is moved inone direction, a gear wheel en gaged with the teeth on said bar, a shaftiipon which said gear wheel is fixed extending within said drum and freeto turn therein, and a yieldable connection between said 2 gear wheeland drum.

l A postage stamp applying device comprising a casing, a lid on saidcaslng, a stamp carrying drum rotatably mounted on said lid, a resilientarm on said lid adapted 3 to act in opposition to the rotation of thedrum in one direction, a pressing plate mounted to slide on said casingand closing an end thereof, a knife edge at one end of said pressingplate, a flange on said plate 3 having a diagonally extending slottherein, a rack bar movable longitudinally of said casing and having apin thereon received in said slot, a gear wheel engaged With the teethon said bar, a shaft to which said gear wheel is fixed mounted to turnin said drum, and aspiring fixed to said gear wheel having arms bearingagainst the drum.

In testimony whereof I aifiX my signature.

FREDERICK CHILD.

Gcpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0."

